Explain what advantages aluminum has for use in manufacturing automobiles.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Some technicians believe that the main advantage to using aluminum is its resistance to corrosion. Others believe that its lightness and strength are its main
advantage, and this too is a valid viewpoint. Though aluminum is 1.5 to 2 times thicker than steel of comparable strength, it is considerably lighter, which is also a big advantage. Another advantage that design engineers find attractive in aluminum is its predictability in a collision. Unlike steel, aluminum collapses in a predictable manner; thus, aluminum parts can be designed to contain collision forces. By knowing how a material can and will collapse under differing conditions, engineers can design safety collapse zones into frame rails to protect passengers in collision emergencies. With a substance such as aluminum, which is corrosion-resistant, strong, light, and predictable when it collapses, it is no wonder that design engineers are using more in automotive production. Another advantage to using aluminum is its recyclability. Aluminum costs less to recycle than it does to produce in the first place, which cannot be said of other substances such as steel and plastic. We now recycle nearly 90% of the aluminum that is used today.